Sure, there’s a lot of good programming on cable…even more
so than network TV.

But there’s also a lot of absurdity as well.

I guess because there are so many outlets and so many hours
to fill.

Do we really need 500 cooking shows with 3 or 4 so called
“Chefs” being judged by 3 other “Chefs”?

No…I think one would do nicely. Two if you change up the
format and add a fourth judge…you know, just for diversity.

How about house hunting shows?Can’t get enough of those…especially if you
live in a small, smelly studio apartment and feel bad for the couple who can’t
decide between the Jacuzzi tub or the basement sauna.

Of course the “Flippers”—people not dolphins—and “Re-mods”
have their own shows too.

To be honest, I was just fine with Bob and Norm…the
rest just seems a little…excessive.

Of course there’s some originality, as in fashion makeover
shows.But they really differ only in
who and how they humiliate people.

Yes…everyone loves to have their friends nominate them for a
fashion makeover…because not everyone can wear those 60’s style go-go boots the
way they do. Besides, watching people crawl into a hole of humiliation because
of the way they dress or wear their hair is always exceptional entertainment,
any time of day…which is good because it’s on…any time of day.

Of course, if you disagree and think that’s a little bitharsh,
there’s always the reality cop shows where people really deserve to be
humiliated on national TV.

Substance abuse, domestic violence…yeah…that never happens
to anyone you know.So what if they have
families…no one told them to pass out in the street so a film crew can record
their degradation and arrest. And if someone in the crew takes a bullet in the
course of this public service…well, it can only help the ratings.

Absurd…Absurd…Absurd…

Absurd’s the word.

Of course you could always read a book.

There are so many to choose from…especially about those fun
guys and gals who like to play with whips and chains.

Those are easy to find…right on the top of the best seller
lists, for weeks, sometimes years.

Or you can just go to the movies…especially the ones with
Super Heroes…as rare as they are.

But I guess, all in all, they’re all nice distractions form
the “real” real events we see on the news every day.

5 comments:

With all this technology and stuff we often find ourselves sidetracked and this of course applies to TV programme makers and scriptwriters who feel that reality is what we all need more of. Isn't that absurd when you think about how bloody virtual everything has become in our world of almost's. As for those interminable cookery extravaganza smart assess, they just make me feel absurdly unreal about my personal cooking skills.

I highly agree with you Brian - I've not watched T.V. since I cancelled the cable and unplugged the TV in February 2010. And I’ve not been to a movie theatre in a few decades … can't remember the last movie I rented. The absurdity of life is just too much anymore. The Bruce Jenner story – the Kardashians supporting him? I heard sound bites of his interview with Diane Sawyer. You, like me, remember him as our hero – our U.S.A. Olympian who brought home the gold and appeared on the Wheaties box. I do listen to the news on the radio through the day and evening and pop on news sites as well to match up the pics and videos to the stories I hear - I took one look at Baltimore and the looters this a.m. and it sickened me. I am sure that was on your mind when you used the word “absurd” … maybe I should write it in all caps. And Detroiters are turning their noses up at them, sneering and saying "really?!" Detroiters need not be so smug and righteous - they did the same thing, and continue to do it, whether it is the riots of '67 or a college football loss. I have commented before that I shake my head so much these days, I fear it will topple off my neck and roll away one day.

You are your best scriptwriter, and you need no editors. Just keep on doing what you're doing. New Yorker mag is sure to be after you, or maybe Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer. Maybe you turned them down already. Too busy.

Thanks, Joan! As far as I can tell no one is after me, unless you take into account the guy who owns the hot dog cart I pulled up to and asked if he did window service. Sure, he was in the middle of the park, but is that my fault?

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About Me

My passion these days is writing silly stories for “The
Freelance Retort”, the humor website I began in May of 2011 when the world was
supposed to come to an end. It didn’t and now I’m stuck writing these things 2
or 3 times a week.My passion before that was chocolate ice cream.

When I’m not doing this, I’m a freelance, corporate writer/director/ producer, which means—besides the many slashes—I create everything from promotional, instructional and training videos to interactive on line presentations for various corporation and health care companies. In that sense I guess you could say that I’m a “professional writer” since I do get paid to write, work from home and have lots of free time to myself. However, most of my friends and neighbors think I’m just goofing off. Naturally, being a freelance writer who deals with the sometimes insanity of the corporate world from the safety of the creative fringe, my views will more often than not be tinged with cynicism, sarcasm and a fair share of self-deprecation. I hope you enjoy them in the spirit in which they are intended….